Author Archives: Nicolas

About Nicolas

Sophomore

Aviation Business Administration

**Nicolas** – Intern with Montreal International Airport, Finance Department
**Major:** Aviation Business Administration
**Hometown:** Montreal, Canada
**Campus Involvement:** Airport Management Club, National Business Aviation Administration, International Student Programing Council and student assistant in the College of Business
**Why I chose Embry-Riddle:** Its worldwide reputation, opportunities and everyone’s love for aviation

Thanksgiving Break in Argentina

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Instead of heading home for Thanksgiving like most students did, I decided to visit Argentina with my brother. As a former airline intern with Air Canada, I was offered two roundtrip tickets to go to any destination in the world the air carrier serves. The Thanksgiving break was the perfect time of the semester to use those tickets since they expire next January and there were blackouts dates in December for Christmas and the New Year. Because of Thanksgiving, I had five days of holiday including the weekend. Missing the first two days of the week made the trip possible since I now benefited of a full week of vacation.

Since we had to fly Air Canada, we had to go through Canada to fly to Argentina. I drove to Orlando and then I flew to Boston on Friday to join my brother. On Saturday evening, we boarded an Air Canada flight to Toronto where we connected to catch another flight to Buenos Aires. My brother and I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina the next day on Sunday after a long day of traveling.

After getting settled in our hotel, we went out for dinner where we met our friend from high school who is studying abroad in Buenos Aires. After our dinner we walked around Palermo Soho, a popular neighbourhood in Buenos Aires.

A street in Buenos Aires

A street in Buenos Aires.

The next day we visited the city since it was our last day in Buenos Aires. We visited La Recoleta Cemetery (Cementerio de la Recoleta) which is one of the most visited site in Buenos Aires. We also visited the Floralis Genérica, a big metal flower. The six petals of the flower close in the evening during sunset.

Cementerio de la Recoleta

Cementerio de la Recoleta

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Floralis Genérica

The next morning (Tuesday), we all flew from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Ushuaia is the world’s southernmost city. We spent the rest of the week over there doing some fun activities. Stay tuned to learn more about the city with the nickname of The End of the World! In the meantime, you can enjoy some fun facts about Argentina below:

Interesting Facts About Argentina

  • While I was on the taxi going from the airport to the hotel, I noticed that drivers drive very close to other cars. Cars in Argentina are quite small. It is rare to see an F150 on the road. Most vehicles in AR are manual and not automatic.
  • Did you know that Argentina has the widest street in the world? You’d be surprised how long it takes to cross Avenida 9 de Julio.
  • When you go to restaurants, the waiter will usually not bring glasses of water to your table. You will have to order a bottle of agua if you are thirsty.
  • Argentines apparently do not use black pepper in their recipes. You will only find salt on the table.
  • Unlike North America, Argentines eat dinner pretty late. You will probably be the only customer in the restaurant if you go eat at 7PM.
  • When two people greet each other, they kiss on the cheek. Even men.
  • The seasons are the opposite. When it is winter here, it is summer over there and vice-versa.

Until next time!

Nicolas

Day Trip to Baltimore

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Hello readers!

Since we did not have school last Friday, I traveled to see my friend in Baltimore, MD. He graduated from Embry-Riddle last spring and is currently the station manager of a ground handling company at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). I spent the afternoon touring with him.

We first started inside the airport where there is a small museum open to the public before the TSA security checkpoint. The Observation Gallery is located between Concourse B and C on the upper level. It features a small observation deck that faces a portion of the airport’s apron.

Observation Gallery (Source: Baltimore Washington International Airport)

Observation Gallery (Credits: Baltimore Washington International Airport)

After the quick museum tour, we went on to the ramp and drove around on the apron. It’s fun to be a passenger inside the airport but it’s also fun to be in the real action of the things thats are going on around an aircraft at the gate. I have always been interested at airline operations at the gate. Ever since I am young, I always sit next to the window at the gate and look outside.

There is a lot going on from the time an aircraft gets marshalled to the gate to the time it gets pushed back from the gate. Depending on the aircraft size, the ground crew only has less than an hour to deplane the passengers of the arriving flight, unload the bags, fuel and clean the aircraft, receive the inflight catering, board passengers and load the bags for the next departure.

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Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER during turnaround for its evening flight back to Seattle-Tacoma. (Credits: Author)

As the Alaska aircraft was being pushed back from the gate, it was already time for me to catch my flight to go back to Daytona. I really enjoyed my experience during my short visit. I had been on the ramp previously but not as close as I did on Friday.

More Adventures
Next week, I’m off to South America with my brother for the Thanksgiving break. Stay tuned for more blogs about my next trip! You can follow me on Snapchat and Instagram @montrealspotter for live pictures.

Until next time!

Nicolas

First Class of the Semester Completed

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This Wednesday, I completed my first class of the semester. You might be thinking that this is impossible since we are only in November and the fall semester ends in mid-December. The professor let me take the final exam in advance. Just kidding!

The Business Statistics class (MATH 222) I took was an online class through Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus. It was the first time I took a Mathematics online course. Even though I was pleased overall with the class, I would not recommend it to students who are studying at the Daytona Beach or Prescott campuses. The main reason is that an online Math class is quite different from the other classes students have to take.

As you know, a Math class is more about solving problems than writing essays. It happened a couple times over the semester that I did not understand how to do a problem. Professors don’t really teach you anything in online classes; you are on your own. You learn by reading the textbook and by looking at the slides. I found that my best friend during that class was the Internet. I watched videos that explained how to do certain problems. Sometimes, I thought the videos explained better than the textbook did.

Three Weeks Remaining
Only a few weeks separate today from the end of the fall semester! This also means that end of semester projects, essays and finals are arriving at the same time. I have my final analytical report due on Monday in my Tech Report class (COM 221). A presentation about this report is also required as part of the final grade. In Comparative Religions (HU 345), I have an essay due right after the Thanksgiving break. In my Supply Chain class (BA 363), I have a group project to do due on the last day of classes. Finally, I have a few tests left in some classes before the final exam.

Long Weekend
On Veterans Day (today), I am going to see my friend in Baltimore, MD. He works for a  ground handling company at the airport so I hope to learn a few things during my short visit! Before every flight I board, I try to sit by the window at the gate area to look at all the activities going around the aircraft. Today, I’ll have the chance to be walking on the airport ramp!

Until next time!

Nicolas

Editor’s note: Current residential campus students must submit appropriate paperwork before enrolling in online courses through the Worldwide Campus. Consult with the Record’s Office, your advisor or admissions counselor before deciding whether online courses are right for you. 

My Favorite Moments of October

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The month of October is almost over and we are now beginning the last phase of the fall semester. Not counting the three days off for Thanksgiving, students have about a month left of actual classes. I will conclude my last blog of the month by saying why it is one of my favorite month of the year.

Industry Career/Expo
Even though the event did not occur due to reasons we all know, it has been in the past an event with great excitement. I like to go hunt for jobs and internships. I enjoy talking with employers about what they have to offer. The career fair is now reported to the spring semester on March 1, 2017 from 09:00 to 16:00 at the ICI Center. Check the Career Services website for updates on company information sessions and the list of employers.

Fall Break
During the four days break including the weekend, I usually go back home to Canada to see my family and friends. I like to see the leaves in the trees change colors. It’s just beautiful! This is something that does not happen in Florida.

algonquin-park-autumnNHL Start of the Season (Hockey)
The 2016-17 hockey season started during the first week of the month. During fall break, I had the chance to attend the second home game of the Montreal Canadiens. We defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Last year, we did not clinched for the playoffs but hopefully this year we will go far. I look forward to this new season!

MLS Playoffs (Soccer)
The end of the month of October marks the end of the MLS regular season, which means that the playoffs start! My team (Montreal Impact) finished 5th place of the Eastern Conference during the 2016 season. They are playing a knockout round against D.C. United tomorrow (10/27). Hockey has always been the most popular sport in Montreal, but  soccer is catching up slowly beating football.

Until next time!

Nicolas

One Last Push

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keep-calm-it-s-almost-fall-break-3Next week marks the median of the semester, but I feel like we just came back to ERAU from summer. I know you guys have to go through midterms, tests, quizzes, assignments, homework and/or projects next week. Keep up the good work because Fall Break is around the corner!

Due to Hurricane Matthew, a total of three days of classes were cancelled. During that time, many of the students and faculty did not have power. It was a bit of a challenge to work on some assignments during the hurricane and professors know it. Many of my professors adapted the course schedule since we missed a few days of classes. My Supply Chain Management midterm that was supposed to be this week is pushed to next week. My professor in Technical Report Writing delayed the due date of our assignments by close to two weeks. Instead of rescheduling the quiz in The Joy of Science, the professor just decided to cancel it to the joy of the students. No pun intended.

Professors are here to help, so if you feel you didn’t have time to work on something or you were simply unable to work due to the power outage, just ask your professor. They might give you more days to complete your assignment. I’m taking an online class and I definitely need my computer to work. I emailed my professor to ask if I could get an extension on my homework because of Hurricane Matthew. The instructor totally understood the circumstances and gave me an additional week to turn in the work.

Enjoy your weekend!

Nicolas

Unexpected Very Long Weekend

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As many of you know, the ERAU Daytona Beach campus has been closed from Thursday to Saturday morning due to Hurricane Matthew. Embry-Riddle announced on Saturday that classes would resume on Tuesday. This leaves time for students and faculty to return home in the Daytona Beach area. Many have driven away from Daytona heading west and north to places such as Tampa and Atlanta. I know people that even flew away north to escape the hurricane.

Knowing that the storm was approaching the state of Florida and that Volusia County would require evacuation, I left Daytona Beach on Wednesday night after classes and headed to my friend’s house in the Orlando area. On Thursday morning, we went to buy soil bags to protect the house from potential flooding. The store didn’t have any sand bags in stock.

The next morning, we woke up and Hurricane Matthew had already passed and was continuing on its way to the north. Compared to the east coast of Florida, Orlando was not badly hit by the storm. From the location I was, there wasn’t any debris on the ground. I am still in Orlando since my apartment does not have electricity. I will head back to Daytona once the power will be restored, hopefully before classes start on Tuesday.

Due to the gravity of Hurricane Matthew and the damage it made, ERAU students are enjoying a long five day weekend. This weekend is also Thanksgiving weekend back in Canada (Columbus Day in the US). Many will take these extra days off to cleanup debris around their house. Others will try to get some homework done. As of Saturday, many areas of Volusia County were still without power. It might take a few days before 100% of the residents get their lights back on.

Industry/Career Expo Postponed

Embry-Riddle has decided on Wednesday to cancel the annual “Career Fair”  due to the hurricane. The majority of the company information sessions and the interview day on Friday were cancelled as well. Career Services announced that the event will be postponed until the 2017 Spring semester. Keep checking your emails because Career Services will soon announce the new date for the expo!

Until next time!

Nicolas

Industry/Career Expo Reminders

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The Industry/Career Expo is less than a week away! It is the time of the year where more than 100 companies come on campus to recruit students for co-ops, internships, and full-time positions. The event will be held at the ICI on Thursday, October 6 between 09:00 and 16:00. I’m taking this time to give you a few reminders about the annual event.

Fast Pass pick up: Get your Fast Pass early to avoid long lines a the day of the event. It just takes a few seconds! Until October 5, stop by Career Services with your Eagle Card to get your Fast Pass.

Download the Embry-Riddle Career Fair Plus app: The app is available on Google Play and the iTunes App Store. You will have access to the list of employers, which includes their company description, the job positions available, and any type of work authorizations required. The app also offers a map of the fair so you will not get lost the day of the event.

Do some research: Get to know the companies you are interested in working for. Navigate on their websites to know what jobs are currently offered and what are the requirements. Review the job requirements and qualifications. Companies want you to show them that you are interested in working for their company.

Review your resume: Take a look at your resume one last time to make sure that it is properly formatted and free of spelling errors.

Practice interviews: Get together with a friend and simulate an interview. Practice answering questions about the company or about the position you would like to work for.

Attend the info sessions: You should attend the information sessions of the companies you are interested in. From past experience, many of them gives you important tips such as how to approach an employer and how to shake hands. Below is the schedule of the Company Information Sessions prior to the Industry/Career Expo.

overall-expo-company-info-sessions

Don’t wait until the day before: Be well prepared and don’t wait the night before the Expo to complete all the items mentioned above. If you are not sure about something and have a question, contact Career Services by phone at 386 226-6053 or by email at careers@erau.edu.

Click here to get the full list on how to successfully prepare for the Industry/Career Expo.

Good luck!

Nicolas

10 Study Tips

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Hello readers!

Last week, I had my first exam of the semester in my Comparative Religions class. This week and next week, I will also have other tests in the rest of my classes. I’ll take this opportunity to give a few study tips to ensure you do well and don’t stress during the days leading to the test.

  1. Do not look at the course material for the first time the day before the exam. Most professors mention the dates of assignments, quizzes, and exams during the first week of classes.
  2. Take notes in class and review them on the same day you took them.
  3. Start looking slowly at the material a week or a few days before the test. You will learn and memorize a lot more if you study a little bit every day.
  4. If you created a study guide, try to break it up and study one part at a time. It will be easier if you study it in small chunks instead of reading the whole study guide again and again.
  5. Create a short song or a series of letter when you have to memorize things which involve steps or chronology. Last week, I had to memorize the 6 types of religious conversion. So I just remembered the first letter of each word and it sounded like this  IMEARC.
  6. Repeating things loudly or writing them down many times on a sheet of paper will help you to remember the information for the exam.
  7. Quiz yourself or get a friend to ask you some questions. I often use Quizlet to test myself. There is a test option where the website generates a set of questions from the data you have to learn.
  8. Get all the information possible you can from your professor. Sometimes, they will tell you the format of the exam (multiple choices, true or false, short answers, short essays and/or long essays) and the number of questions.
  9. Take a break. Don’t study for hours in one sitting, but take some short breaks and move around.
  10. The night before the test, don’t stay up late at night to study. You should have studied a few days before and be ready. You will do better on the on the exam if you have a good night of sleep.

Good luck!

Nicolas

Start of the Hockey Season

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Two weeks ago, I started playing hockey in the Adult C League at the Daytona International Skateway. The C league is a non competitive league where players just play for fun. This is my second season in Daytona as I played last spring semester.

The player average age is between 25 and 30 years old and men and women are welcomed to play. There are a few students from Embry-Riddle that play in my team which is quite nice.

During the season, we play 15 games against the other three teams (all from Daytona) in the league. This fall, the games are usually around 6:00PM and 7:30PM on Sunday evenings. Each game has a duration of about 90 minutes. I like this early schedule since it allows players to go home early. Last spring, the games were at 9:00PM which was quite late. I used to play hockey in San Antonio, Texas and some of the games were at 12:15AM on Fridays (Saturday).

If you are interested in seeing one of the games, you just have to visit this website to see  what time we play. I’m on the White Lightning team. Hope to see you at the rink!

Until next time!

Nicolas

Weekend Getaway to California

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Screen Shot 2016-09-04 at 19.54.08

Los Angeles, California

This past long weekend, I went on vacation to beautiful Los Angeles. For me, the Labor weekend officially marks the end of summer, even if some students have already started school. After this date, air travel decreases and starts to rise again around Thanksgiving in the United States. I decided to come to Los Angeles to enjoy the last days of summer!

I arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Saturday around noon. After touching the runway, things did not go as planned. Our aircraft had to sit on a taxiway for more than 45 minutes because our assigned gate was already occupied by another plane. Once we taxied closer to the terminal, we were towed to our gate and finally deplaned. I took the shuttle and headed to rent a car that I reserved earlier. At the car rental, they told me that all the cars are sold out in the area and that I have to wait until a car returns. I finally got a car after one hour of wait. Now I’m ready to discover LA!

Below are my Top 5 Los Angeles Moments!

5. In-N-Out Burger

One of my favorite location to see aircraft taking off and land out of Los Angeles International Airport is at the famous In-N-Out Burger. The restaurant is located right at the edge of runway 24R. What’s cool is that you can see aircraft just over your head! I arrived at the right moment to see a Lufthansa Airbus A380 landing.

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Lufthansa A380 taken from the iPhone.

4. Santa Monica Beach/Third Street Promenade

The Santa Monica Beach is located just a few miles west of Los Angeles on the Pacific Ocean. The Santa Monica Pier has attractions, restaurants, and shops. The pier has been featured in many films and television series.

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Entrance Sign

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Santa Monica Pier

Third Street Promenade is a popular street in Santa Monica for shopping and dining. Close to the beach, it is a popular destination for tourists.

3. Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills

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“Two Rodeo Drive”

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Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is located in Beverly Hills. Similarly to the Third Street Promenade, the street offers shopping with some of the most prestigious brands in the world. It also has cafés and restaurants to satisfy your cravings while you shop.

2. Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most popular place to visit in the Los Angeles area. When I went on Sunday morning, it was packed with people. More than 2,500 stars are spread across the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. The stars represent the names of famous actors, musicians, directors, producers, etc.

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Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee.

Not far from this street is the well-known Hollywood sign. I wish I had brought my other lense so I could have zoomed more in it!

1. Getty Center

Central Garden

Central Garden

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View of Los Angeles from the Getty Center

This is probably one of my favorite moments during my Los Angeles trip. The Getty Center houses architecture, gardens, and amazing views overlooking the city of Los Angeles. During a clear day, you can see the skyscrapers of the city. Every year, more than 1.3 million tourists visit the Center.

Until next time!

Nicolas